TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine has been building support for his proposal to increase tolls on some of the nation's busiest highways to pay state debt and fund transportation, but from neither the public nor lawmakers who ultimately have to approve it.

Instead, the Democratic governor has focused on luring business executives, congressman, university officials and former public officials to his side.

"I'm proud that this group of individuals, who represent the highest echelons of some of the most important aspects of our society, have the foresight and courage to join me in restructuring New Jersey's fiscal future," Corzine said.

But lawmakers and many state residents remain skeptical and unswayed -- so far -- by those endorsements. That could prove crucial since lawmakers, elected by the public, will be the ones who decide whether to approve the plan to significantly boost tolls on the Atlantic City Expressway, Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike and add tolls to Route 440.

All 49 legislative Republicans and Democratic Sen. John Adler have vowed to vote against it.

"The governor can twist arms and get the support of as many Trenton insiders as he wants, but he needs to pay attention to what the average New Jersey taxpayer is saying," said Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce, R-Morris.

Ingrid Reed, a political scientist from Rutgers University, said Corzine is approaching the effort to pass his plan as if he were running for office.

"The governor is engaged in a campaign, one that ultimately has to be won with 41 votes in the Assembly and 21 votes in the Senate," Reed said. "So he need endorsers, people who are well known and respected, to give independent credibility to his proposals."

Reed isn't surprised lawmakers haven't signed on.

"I would not expect lawmakers to be on the list, but rather people the lawmakers will respect and may be influenced by," Reed said.

Corzine wants to pay off at least half of $32 billion in state debt and fund transportation projects for 75 years.

To do so, he wants to increase tolls 50 percent in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022. Those increases would include inflation adjustments and, after 2022, tolls would increase every four years until 2085 to reflect inflation.

He also wants to limit state spending and require voters approve state borrowing.

Corzine's supporters include Atlantic City casinos and executives from Verizon, Chubb, Schering Plough, CN Communications, PSE&G, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Medco Health Solutions and Verizon and top officials from Princeton and Rutgers universities and the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Democratic U.S. Reps. Rob Andrews and Rush Holt and the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce also endorsed it.

"We believe the governor is prudent in his efforts to bring long-term debt relief while creating new opportunities for sound infrastructure investments," said Dennis Bone, president of Verizon New Jersey. "Taking the right steps now will enable New Jersey to stand on firm footings in the near term and will create a roadway to competitive and financial strength in the future."

"At Verizon, we're continually upgrading and investing in our networks and facilities in order to be competitive in the global economy," he said. "New Jersey must do the same."

But several polls show about 60 percent of voters oppose Corzine's plan, and even the governor's fellow Democrats who control the Legislature have been hesitant to praise it.

Assemblyman John Wisniewski, chair of the Assembly transportation committee that likely will have major influence in how Corzine's plan progresses, urged endorsers to "throttle back."

"It is disconcerting to see so many New Jersey business and government professionals signing onto a plan that is still largely under construction," said Wisniewski, D-Middlesex. "Potential supporters should reserve judgment until the full plan, in all of its minutiae, is unveiled. Anything else is simply putting the cart before the horse."

Assemblyman Richard Merkt, R-Morris, alleged Corzine was trying to "ram this plan through the Legislature by playing the inside game."

"Gov. Corzine can secure the endorsement of any number of lobbyists and former political mouthpieces, and it still doesn't mean the people of New Jersey support his scheme," Merkt said.